Chapter Twenty-Eight
Bari
“You’re sure that this is what you want to do?” Drey wasn’t exactly frowning at me over his desk but his brows were knit together in concern.
“It is,” I confirmed, proud that I managed to keep my voice calm. “The twins arrived healthy and have been safely delivered into the hands of their Alpha, which means Ahearn met the terms of the agreement with the council and is in compliance with the laws of our people.”
“I agree,” Drey said slowly, “but there are still several weeks left on the agreement. Don’t you want to attempt to reconcile with your husband?”
I was shaking my head before he finished. “I understand your concern, but that wasn’t what he had agreed to, so it isn’t fair to try and change the terms of the agreement now.”
“What about aftercare?” Thane, Drey’s Omega husband and legal assistant spoke quietly from the chair next to me. “You will heal better, recover faster if you have an Alpha’s physical influence.”
“I’ll be fine now,” I insisted. “Please, follow my wishes.”
The two wolves exchanged a glance and Drey sighed. “Very well, Bari. I will need the address where you’re staying so your copies can be mailed.”
“Of course.” I reached for the pen and notepad he indicated and carefully wrote out my full pre-marital name -Bari Mikel Herschel- along with the address in the small town of Squim in the state of Washington. “You can reach me here until the case is settled. After that, I intend to return to my family home in Ballyshannon.”
“Ballyshannon in Ireland?” Thane’s jaw dropped slightly.
I inclined my head. “Yes. It’s where I was raised and where Ahearn and I met at university.”
Thane seemed fascinated. “Can I ask a personal question?”
“Certainly.”
“Why don’t you have an accent?”
How long had it been since I’d thought of that silly lilt my voice used to have? I thought on that for a moment and laughed. “Truth, I had quite a strong accent when I first moved to the United States,” I admitted. “But immigrants were often treated less than kindly at that time, so Ahearn and I worked to lose them. It seems we succeeded, so that must be proof that no one is bound by their past.”
I accepted the small stack of papers that Drey handed to me. He reminded me that the others would be delivered by certified mail within a few days, and then I walked out of the small office building to the cab waiting to deliver me to the airport.
~*~
I was stretched out on a lounge chair, wrapped up in a plush blanket to ward off the chill in the air when Brigid appeared beside me, her absurdly high heels tapping on the flagstones as she walked.
“You have mail, dear,” she announced, dropping several envelopes into my lap.
“Thank you.” It took no effort to smile fondly at one of my oldest friends. Her hair was still the same fiery red it had been in our youth, but the years had rounded out her figure beautifully, making her slightly more maternal now that she had carried several pregnancies herself but still an eye catching beauty. “You look stunning.”
“Oh, you.” Brigid rolled her eyes, her red-slicked lips stretching into a wide smile. “You know you don’t have to pander to my ego to stay here.”
I laughed. “The thought never occurred to me,” I assured her, shaking my head. “You truly do get more beautiful with each passing day.”
“Aren’t you sweet.” Brigid sank onto the seat beside me, sighing in relief as she slipped her shoes off. “Are you really done, then?” she asked, stroking her hand over the slight baby bump hidden beneath her sweater.
“I am,” I agreed, turning my face into the wind. “You recall that the price of being allowed to marry Ahearn was that I serve as a surrogate and carry five pregnancies to term. I had completed those already when Petroh asked for our help.”
Brigid’s smile turned sad. “I know. You put your own family on hold to carry for him, for Colm’s memory. It was supposed to be your time now.”
Bittersweet memories came rushing through me. “Situations change,” I managed to say lightly. “Obviously, given the situation, there would be no logic in having a child of my own now.” I rose from the chair slowly, still stiff from the rigors of the delivery and raised a restraining hand. “I know what you’re thinking,” I said with a laugh, “that I don’t need a husband to have a child, that I could use a service as you’ve done.”
Brigid shook her head. It was a conversation that we’d had many times in our youth, back when it had seemed clear that I would never attract an Alpha. Before Ahearn had inexplicably been drawn to me. “I know, Bari. It’s not for you.” She shook her head in mock despair. “Pity, truly, you could stay here and we could raise our children together.”
I laughed as she’d intended me to and bent to kiss her cheek, not bothering with continuing our ages-old scripted teasing. “Good night, Brigid. I’ll see you on the morrow.”
